1. Field
The invention is in the field of deboning machines of the type in which an auger conveys ground meat and bone materials through a perforated conduit from one end thereof, while exerting pressure on the materials to force meat components out of the conduit through the perforations thereof as bone components are conveyed to discharge at the other end of the conduit through an adjustable valve ring which surrounds an extension of the auger and is adapted to control pressure within the conduit.
2. State of the Art
Deboning machines of the type concerned are illustrated and described in McFarland U.S. Pat. No. 3,739,994 of June 19, 1973, entitled "Apparatus for Producing De-Boned Meat Products", and in Beck et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,042,176 of Aug. 16, 1977, entitled "Deboning Apparatus and Method".